In my co-pending application, Ser. No. 869,533 filed 15 Apr. 1992, a system is disclosed for encapsulating three-dimensional (as defined in that disclosure) articles on one side of a bag, which bag is formed on a bag making machine. In that disclosure, the drawrollers of a conventional bag making machine are modified to accommodate the three-dimensional article. Also, a feeding mechanism is disclosed whereby the three-dimensional article may be fed to a fold formed in one side of the bag. The fold is subsequently sealed to the bag stock and the bag is formed. Successive bags are assembled to form a wicket.
The system of my prior disclosure was effective for the purposes stated therein, particularly for smaller sized three-dimensional articles, such as packages of cough drops, cigarette packages, packages of gum and the like. However, when it wa desired to encapsulate fairly large three-dimensional articles on the side of the bag, more extensive design modifications were required to the prior art bag making machines. These larger articles, such as soap samples, cereal samples, range greatly in length, width and height and modifications to the chute size, feeding arms and drawrollers would result in substantial modifications. That is, if there were a first run where articles, say cigarette packages, were to be encapsulated and then a second run where say cereal boxes were to be encapsulated, extensive changes would have to be made to the system in order to accommodate the various size differences.
In a wicket of bags there is typically a header to which the bags are joined by a release line(s). The header simply comprises the tops of the originally formed bags block welded one to the other. In this invention, in the preferred embodiment, the pockets of bags are individually filled and sealed without separating the bags from the wicket (header). Although the preferred embodiment is described in reference to filling and sealing a pocket, the invention broadly embodies just filling the pocket, filling a bag, filling and sealing a bag and in its broadest sense is an apparatus and method for sequentially reversing and exposing, in seritium, one side of a bag in a wicket of bags whereby the bag is positioned for a subsequent step. This subsequent step can include opening a pocket or a bag, filling a pocket or a bag, sealing a pocket or a bag, printing one or both sides of the bag or any combination of the foregoing without removing the bag from the wicket.
In the preferred embodiment, three-dimensional articles are encapsulated into a pocket of a bag(s) in a wicket of bags. The articles are inserted subsequent to bag formation. The system of the invention is easily adaptable to accommodate various size articles to be inserted into the bags.
Wickets of bags are formed in a conventional manner wherein a pocket is formed on the `front` side of the bag. The pocket is simply a flap which is sealed along its sides and bottom to the bag. Wickets are placed front side down, say 50 bags per wicket, on a platform. The platform moves the bags to a positioning station. At the positioning station, the `back` side of the bag is engaged and drawn forward over the top of the wicket such that the front side of the bag faces upwardly and lays flat at a feeding station. The bag is released such that it lies front side up while still attached to the wicket. The bag is supported on a retractable plate at the feeding station. A jet of air engages the bag as it travels to ensure the bag lays flat on the plate.
A feeding assembly which comprises a moveable chute and a gate moves into alignment with the bag. A jet of air billows the pocket of the bag and the gate is retracted allowing an article to travel down the chute into the pocket. The air ceases, the chute retracts and the pocket settles down. A sealing bar then engages the free end of the pocket and seals the same to the side of the ba encapsulating the article therein. The sealing bar retracts, the plate pivots downwardly and a jet of air contacts the top surface of the bag causing the bag to fall downwardly while still attached to the wicket. This sequence of steps is repeated until the bags of the wicket have had articles encapsulated therein.
If the article size changes, when the bags are made in the conventional manner the pockets are made larger or smaller as required. The chute size and the position and extension of the sealing arm are adjusted accordingly.
The method of the invention for encapsulating an article on includes transferring the top most bag of the wicket from a support to a feeding station without separating the transferred bag from the wicket, billowing the pocket, inserting the article into the pocket, sealing the free edge to encapsulate the three-dimensional article in the pocket, and removing the bag from the loading station without separating the bag from the wicket.